Gary Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/articles/18513/1/Warringtons-great-North-v-South-grass-cutting-divide/Page1.html So how is it where you live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 There are several overgrown areas in the far north. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Although slightly north of the town centre I live in what is classed as "south warrington" they used to come and cut the grass on sankey valley park area where i live about once a fortnight. these days they tend to cut a swathe around the edges of the field and an area between four posts taht were put in for kids to play football. the rest of the grass is now so high that my poor dog dissappears when he ventures into it. if it wasn't for the extending lead i would never find him. Most i see of him when he does go into the grassed area is the tip of his tail as he bobs through teh grass trying to make his way through. give it another couple of weeks and there will be tribes of pygmy's wandering through it in search of food. last ones known to be found in there were the elawi tribe. i know this because of thier hunting song "were the elawi" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Here's an idea! There's plenty of small gardening and landscaping firms all over Warrington. Why not give the grass cutting and grounds maintenance budgets to the local parish councils and let them contract with their own local firms on a seasonal basis. No having to keep staff on year round, no final salary pensions to pay for, no multiple layers of public sector management required (just to get some grass cut!), no vehicles or equipment to buy and maintain. And best of all, accountability at a more local level. Or does that just make too much sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffee Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 What is going on with grass cutting? The grass on the streets around here have not been cut for ages now, used to be every two weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RingoDave Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 We don't have any grass - and the trees we used to have are long gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reader Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Reading "Council explains cuts in service" I dont know where they get the idea Warrington is an "attractive place" as the council have over the years made it anything but. Our parks used to be very well maintained alas no more. Contractors seem to be used quite a bit now - is this the problem, did our parks department have more pride in their work ? There is no North South divide, come over to the north and see. Last year we were promised work in Enfield Park, we had about 3 half days of tree pruning which didnt result in what was promised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Problem is that when WBC use contractors they do it on a borough wide basis by contracting with large firms who are on their "approved" list of suppliers and in order to make that list a firm has to jump through all sorts of hoops and hold all sorts of accreditations. That means lots of back office staff and management, plus more WBC staff time to set "service levels", administer the tender and monitor performance on the contract. The price WBC pays and the cost savings they could make reflects that. A parish council could contract with a little local one man band type outfit for far less money, and the parish councillors themselves would just know whether it was being done right from walking around the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffee Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 But not all areas have Parish Councils Inky! I get how some services can be provided cheaper by out outsourcing, but things like gardening? I guess they are saving up for their new offices! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 But not all areas have Parish Councils Inky! Those that do could contract out - and claw back some of the hard earned money WBC extorts from them each year. I get how some services can be provided cheaper by out outsourcing, but things like gardening? Gardening - being seasonal - is ideal for contracting out on an as required basis, rather than being done by in house staff who are kept on all year. I guess they are saving up for their new offices! DON'T get me started on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffee Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Those that do could contract out - and claw back some of the hard earned money WBC extorts from them each year. But then it still leave WBC having to go through the loops and hoops for the areas that don't. I know the company I work for spends a fortune on bidding for contracts, hundreds of thousands of pounds on some big contracts. Although it is not true you have to have a big business to bid on a contract, there are a lot of taxi services for example with contracts with councils, don't know whether taxi firms are more resourceful then other businesses or council bend their rules in some circumstances Gardening - being seasonal - is ideal for contracting out on an as required basis, rather than being done by in house staff who are kept on all year. So councils can not hire seasonal staff, why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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